Scott Gilbert left his post as the head football coach at Desert Christian Academy last year not knowing when he’d have a shot to again be a varsity head coach in the Coachella Valley. He had no idea the ideal opportunity would fall into his lap just a year later.

After a season away as a varsity head coach, Gilbert will be back on the sidelines leading a team under the lights on Friday nights this fall as the head football coach at Indio High School.

Indio High principal Charles “Derrick” Lawson announced Gilbert’s hire to the school’s staff Friday evening in an email obtained by The Desert Sun.

“It was the right opportunity for me, that’s why I went back to it,” said Gilbert, who has taught at Indio for five years. “It was the right opportunity and the right time for me.”

Gilbert coached at DCA for five seasons, from 2012-16, and compiled a record of 34-20. His teams won a pair of league titles and made the playoffs each year during his head coaching tenure, winning a playoff game three out of the five years.

Lawson described the process of finding a new head coach to replace Marty White as “extensive.”

“We are looking forward to the initiatives and plans he brings to lead and inspire our football teams,” Lawson’s email to the staff read.

Gilbert will take over the Indio program, replacing Marty White, as it moves into a new league this year. The league will still be called the Desert Valley League but will feature new league members. Gone will be powerhouse programs La Quinta, Palm Springs and Palm Desert, which will be joined by Shadow Hills, Xavier Prep and Rancho Mirage in another league.

That still leaves a competitive league including long-time rival Coachella Valley, Cathedral City and Desert Hot Springs from the desert, but one with more of an opportunity to compete for wins on a weekly basis.

Though Indio finished with a 3-7 record last season, the Rajahs were competitive in most games. There was a strong belief that the Rajahs could possibly compete for a playoff spot in Division 13 with the young returning talent at the skill positions and entire starting offensive line returning.

Gilbert expects to craft a scheme that makes the best use of the talent he has. He will attempt to replicate his balanced offense that averaged 38 points a game in 2016, but said much will be determined by how spring football shakes out.

“I’m excited,” Gilbert said. “I just can’t wait to get all my plans finalized over spring break so that when we get back to school we can start implementing it.”